Chapter Five

Keith never really had friends growing up. For the majority of his time in Texas, he only had James, Ryan, Nadia, and Ina. That was about it. He also briefly had Acxa, one of his stepsisters, but Pop and Larissa didn't stay together very long. Keith and Acxa got along really well and when they were together for the few months, they told each other everything. And he means everything.

Crushes on people, test scores, who they disliked and who were okay, and so on.

When Larissa left with Acxa because her and Pop didn't work out anymore, Keith was devastated. Acxa was the only person he could really open up too and was the only step sibling he could actually sit down and have a full on conversation with.

And, his new-not-really-new half brother, Shiro, was really nice, don't get him wrong, it's just, Acxa had a special place in Keith's heart.

She was older then he was by a year, so they didn't have classes together in middle school.

He did have another brief step sibling, Eric. Eric wasn't too nice, but they still kind of got along. His mom, Opal, only stayed with Pop for a month because she ended up cheating on him with another guy.

Pop had a girlfriend, Kayla, for around two years. She died last year from a car crash. Pop hadn't left his room for weeks.

For Keith, he didn't have any girlfriends for two reasons. One, he was gay.

Two, his first crush ended up hating him after he confessed and left along with all his friends. That's why Keith never wanted to fall in love again.

Until Lance showed up.

Lance has changed his point of view.

Lance has showed him to just be himself.

Lance has taught him to sit back and enjoy life.

And most of all, Lance has shown him how to love again.

With his first crush, who must not be named yet, leaving his heart in pieces, Lance just being there for him has mended his broken heart.

Keith may never confess because of the friendship they have now.

Keith may just stay friends and admire from afar.

And, for Keith, that's fine.


"Come on Keith! You're gonna miss the bus!" Adam called from his perch on the couch.

Keith huffed a sigh and yelled back "I'm coming! I'm coming!"

It was November 9th, Keith's first day of school in Altea, Virginia.

Keith was sort of excited. His experience with school wasn't very... good? Was horrible? Not horrible. Just, not the best.

He swiftly shuffled out of the bathroom where he was combing his rat's nest of hair-or mullet as Lance calls it, which it's not- and grabbed his new bag off the kitchen bar stool.

"Bye, Adam! Tell Shiro I said bye and good morning!" Keith called to Adam as he put his shoes on in the mud room.

As he shrugged on his jacket, he heard Adam chuckled and say "Will do. Have a good day. See ya soon."

Keith was confused by what he had meant but as he was walking down the steps of the porch, he realized he had meant that he would maybe see him soon.

Adam works as a professor for physics. Keith would have to check if he had physics and if he had Adam.

He walked to the end of the rocky driveway, school bag bouncing on his back behind him. Keith would be lying if he said his heart wasn't pounding. He could hear the rhythm in his ears, with every step getting louder slowly.

Keith reached the edge of the driveway and noticed Lance bolting out of his house at full speed to the other side of the road, stopped right next to the McClain's fridge that said "Eggs For Sale!" in scratchy writing.

When Lance did stop, he noticed Keith and gave him a big smile that may or may not have made Keith's heart jump into his throat. Lance made the hand gesture that said "come here" and mouthed the words "bus stop."

Keith looked both ways, right, left, right again, and crossed the road.

When Keith reached the other side, standing next to Lance, he fixed his bag that was still on his back and turned to Lance. "The bus stop is here?" He asked confused. Lance nodded. "I thought it was on the other side." Keith was trying desperately to start a conversation and to stop his feet from anxiously tapping.

Lance sighed. "Nah. In elementary and some of middle school it was over there. But it changed to over here a few years ago." He halfheartedly shrugged. "Who knows why."

Silence followed for a few minutes and then Keith heard a rumbling on the rocky road. When he looked up, a large, yellow bus with the number '44' printed on the front rode down the street and stopped right in front of them.

Lance started to climb up the steps of the big machine and Keith followed hesitantly.

Aboard, there were a lot of conversations going on in the rows. Some from over the seats, some from across the isle, and there were some people screaming to each other from across a few seats.

Lance sat down in an empty seat in the row that had the number '7' printed at top on both sides and signaled Keith to sit next to him, which Keith did gladly and tried not to show too much.

"Well, lover boy. Looks like you have a new admirer." A female voice said from the other seat in their isle.

Lance huffed a sigh. "Nyma," he started, and glared at the blonde, low pigtailed, female. "This is my neighbor, Keith. You know," he waved around his hand. "The one who filled in for you at Halloween."

The blonde girl, or Nyma as Lance said, smiled a cheeky smile. "Oh, of course. How could I forget with you talking about him, every. Single. Morning." She hissed, still having that sneaky smile.

Lance's eyes widened a bit and his face got a bit pinker. Keith could hear his heart hammering in his chest and prayed to the lord no one could hear.

Nyma's smile widened. The male next to her chuckled. "Well, I'm right on the money." Nyma says as she leans back and puts her hands behind her head.

"Nyma" Lance hissed.

"Whattt?" She she drew out. "I'm just stating the truth." She cackled.

"Babe, leave the lovebirds be." The male put his hand on Nyma's arm, who must have been her boyfriend because of the pet name.

Nyma sighed defeatedly. "Fine, you win Rolo." Nyma and her boyfriend, Rolo, pecked each other's lips and Lance fake gagged.

A few stops later, they arrived at Keith's school, Altea Area High School, or AAHS for short as Lance referred to it as.

The school was pretty big. Bigger then Keith's private school back is Texas with only a few classes and just 125 students.

When they got into the school, Lance pointed him to the direction of the Principal's Office, Principal Sanda.

Keith stopped in front of a room that said Room 128: Principal Sanda.

Keith opened the door a bit hesitantly and walked inside.

"Hello." A woman said. "You must be the new student? Keith Kogane? Am I right?" The woman, who must be Principal Sanda, had short sandy hair, a gray button down shirt with the letters AAHS printed in a pretty cyan color.

"Uh, yes." Keith nodded.

"Alright, well, here's your schedule for this week and your locker number, locker 406." She pointed to a name at the top of his piece of paper. "Professor Iverson is your homeroom. Have a good day." She waved.

Keith nodded again and slowly exited the room.

He asked around for locker 406 and room 178.

When he reached Professor Iverson's room after he found his locker, he knocked on the door twice and it was opened a moment later with a tall, thick, tan man with one eye open, and one closed. "Keith?" He asked.

Keith nodded. Both Principal Sanda and Professor Iverson were pretty, how does Keith say this, scary? Intimating? Probably intimidating.

"Take a seat next to Pidge." And he let Keith in through the front door and pointed to a familiar face. Lance's friend, Pidge.

Keith huffed of relief. At least there's one person he kind of knows.

And hopefully for his chemistry class he knows anyone is Mr. York, who Lance says gives a lot of homework.


So sorry for the late update. We have a new puppy in the house and our cat isn't taking her very seriously. Hope you enjoyed! Next week I may continue the school day, but I haven't decided yet. :P